SRINAGAR: Kashmiri singer and Bigg Boss 20 contestant Qazi Touqeer came under the spotlight once again during the latest Weekend Ka Vaar episode, with host Salman Khan confronting fellow contestant Rhiti Tiwari over her conduct during a heated exchange with him.
The episode saw Salman take issue with Rhiti’s aggressive behaviour during the recent diss battle, in which an argument involving Qazi and Uditi Singh escalated into a heated confrontation. The controversy had already triggered criticism among viewers over the language used during the exchange.
Addressing Rhiti, Salman said Qazi had handled insults with restraint, while questioning her conduct during the confrontation.
“I have huge respect for Qazi,” Salman said, while also making it clear that he did not agree with everything about the Kashmiri singer’s conduct inside the house.
Salman told Rhiti that Qazi had faced insults over the years and had “gracefully handled” them, before criticising her behaviour during the recent fight.
The Bollywood actor also drew attention to Rhiti’s repeated references to her father, actor-politician Manoj Tiwari, during the dispute. Rhiti had earlier told Qazi that if her father had seen his conduct, he would have dealt with him.
Responding to the remark, Salman questioned how Manoj Tiwari could intervene, pointing out that he was an actor-politician and was not present in the house.
Salman further told Rhiti that her conduct inside the house would ultimately be judged as her own and should not be attributed to her father.
The exchange came after a contentious diss battle in which Rhiti allegedly made abusive and derogatory remarks directed at Uditi and Qazi. Some of the remarks were muted during the telecast.
Qazi had become involved in the dispute after standing up for Uditi during the confrontation. His intervention subsequently became a point of discussion among other contestants, with some questioning his motives.
Salman also questioned the way Qazi’s stand had been interpreted by the housemates, particularly the suggestion that he was attempting to gain footage by intervening in the argument.
The latest episode has added another chapter to Qazi’s eventful stint on the reality show.
Kashmir’s Qazi back in national spotlight
Qazi, who hails from Srinagar, returned to the national entertainment spotlight nearly two decades after winning Fame Gurukul alongside Ruprekha Banerjee in 2005. His Bigg Boss 20 appearance has renewed interest in the singer, particularly in Kashmir, where his rise through reality television remains familiar to audiences.
Kashmir Life had earlier reported Qazi’s entry into the Bigg Boss 20 house, describing it as his return to the national entertainment spotlight after his breakthrough through Fame Gurukul.
His appearance on the show has also drawn support from fellow Kashmiri actor Hina Khan, who publicly described herself as happy and proud to see Qazi winning attention again on a national platform.
Salman had himself praised Qazi earlier in the season, referring to him as the “rockstar” of the Bigg Boss house and acknowledging his distinctive personality.
Qazi has meanwhile continued to bring elements of his Kashmiri identity into conversations inside the house. In one recent interaction, he spoke about his family in Kashmir and invited fellow contestant Gullu to visit his home and taste the traditional Kashmiri dish mirchi korma prepared by his mother and wife.
His journey on the show has therefore attracted attention not only because of the controversies inside the house but also because of his return to mainstream entertainment after a long gap.
The latest Weekend Ka Vaar episode, however, shifted the focus back to the dispute involving Rhiti, Qazi and Uditi, with Salman making it clear that personal attacks and references to family members should not cross the limits of a reality-show task.
For Qazi, the episode marked another high-profile moment in his Bigg Boss 20 journey, as the Kashmiri singer once again found himself at the centre of a national television discussion.
